According to an announcement from 343 Industries community manager Jessica Shea posted on Halo Waypoint, multiplayer servers for the PC windows version of Halo 2 will go dark on February 15. So why would 343 Industries shut down those servers? Because, as Shea points out, nobody seems to be using them anymore:

"We're sad to report that the service end-date for Halo 2 PC Multiplayer will be February 15, 2013," reads the post.

"We've been monitoring the population for months, and it's been peaking consistently at approximately 20 players or less. Those that own this game can continue to enjoy Multiplayer over LAN after that date; however our network services will be turned off at that time," she continued. "We love you, Halo 2 PC, and you will live forever in our hearts. #singletear."

You had a great multiplayer run, Halo 2 PC. But four years later and no one seems to love you anymore.

Last year Microsoft revealed its Halo games have racked up 46 million unit sales and generated $3 billion since the series debuted on the original Xbox with 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved.

it had deliberate "balancing" against keyboard/mouse setups via added recoil, and default gave gamepads an aim assist.

TBH though thats for nearly all GFWL games :/

My only question for it, is how will this affect the games SP and the saved games? GFWL has a NASTY little bit not oft mentioned, in that it has an always on DRM if you use any sort of regular profile. The problem being that it requires your profile to be logged in and online in order to save and load games, and this is despite it doesn't even have cloud saves. I mean really.. no cloud but an online connection required for saving/loading??

Granted theres an offline mode, but unlike every other DRM of this sort, GFWL requires an entirely separate offline profile for use.. So playing the same play through on your regular profile is a no go for those on the move or with spotty connections..